Scrap - The Lines of Fate
by Storylady35
Summary: (Alternative ending/version to Scrap) Some say that life is ruled by fate. It controls, influences and transforms them. When a life is changed then it can be faced with lots of different choices to make. This is never truer for Eleanor Sarah Tripson or, as she was also known, Scrap as when life changed around her, she didn't know where to go.


**Very Important Note**

**Please read**

**Right, let me start off by saying that this has been a long time coming and has been **_**really**_** slow but recently I have put a lot more attention and time to finish at least the first chapter.**

**This is because some of you may know my plans to turn my last story, the Sound of Scrap's Heart, into an audio book. However, this plan has been **_**seriously**_** delayed due to the fact that I have lost ALL of my work on this project when my laptop was destroyed. And I mean, destroyed. Some slag brained monster DROVE OVER MY LAPTOP! **

**So all of my work with the Audio book has been demolished. Which means the Audio book is now really, really delayed since I now I have to start again FROM SCRATCH!**

**To make it up to you I have this; **_**A New Scrap story**_**! You have heard about it for a while but now you get to read it;**

**Scrap - The Lines of Fate**

**It's taken a VERY long time and I'm sorry to everyone who's been waiting but we are finally here. And, I am very proud of this story, almost as proud as I was of Heart. And a big thanks to Lung Tien Lien for checking over everything. **

**Now, this time it's an **_**Alternative Ending/Universe **_**with**__**Scrap, of course. I kinda like Scrap. **

**It takes place in the 'Scrap' storyline, by which I mean my first story, Scrap. ****NOT The Sound of Scrap's Heart! **

**This story takes place after Minus One, when the Predacons had been destroyed and Shockwave is now working on a cybermatter formula.**

**Now, sit back, and enjoy the story;**

**Scrap – The Lines of Fate**

Fate is a funny thing.

Not everyone believes in it.

And those that do, don't always understand it.

To believe that everything happens for a reason.

Was it fate that Arcee just so happened to rest outside Jack's workplace just before he got off work?

Was it fate that Raf decided to go racing his toy car instead of going home and hence got caught in the Autobot fight?

Fate has played with so many lives, creating links and pulling them together.

~#~

Eleanor Sarah Tripson.

She was one of the few humans on Earth to know about the existence of the alien life form called the Cybertronians - or the "Transformers", as they were more commonly known - who had come to Earth after their homeworld of Cybertron was left a barren wasteland after a long civil war.

However, unlike most other humans, Eleanor knew the Decepticons, the force that wanted to take over the universe and all who lived in it, while other humans only knew the Autobots, those fighting for the freedom of all beings.

This in itself was unusual as the 'Cons hated the human at first, but for over three years she lived, worked, and trained with them, acting as a nurse, spy and "small pair of hands" for their forces. The reason she remained with them, no matter what happened around her, was that she felt indebted to them for granting her a gift she had been denied all her life: hearing.

Born deaf, the Decepticons gave Eleanor a device that granted her hearing, speech, and access to a range of biological technology. Yet it didn't end there; they also trained her, gave her a weapon, and, as her life with these robotic organisms continued, her influence to their organisation became invaluable. She helped tame the Decepticons' latest weapon, the Predaking - who she had nicknamed "Fire Heart" - assisted with convincing the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, that he had been one of 'Cons when he lost his memories, and worked on some of the greatest missions of the war. It had gained her a rank and status among them, allowing her to become an official member of their army, a Lieutenant, and she had even changed her name to "Scrap" in hopes of fitting in with them.

A human, tiny and squishy, had found her way into the lives of the Decepticons, and despite all the loss and pain she suffered with them, she had no intentions of ever leaving. She was there to the end. Yet, she had no idea how her life with them was going to change.

What fate had in store for her…

~#~

A few weeks ago, the whole of the _Nemesis_ was thrown into disarray by an attack within the ship by the Terrorcon form of CYLAS. Under the influence of dark and synthetic energon, he drained energon from any source he could find in hopes of mastering the incomplete formula. The matter had been contained eventually, but in doing so, the Decepticons had discovered that mixing synthetic energon with another formula created by the head scientist, Shockwave, had created a raw, unstable form of cybermatter, the base for all Cybertronian life.

The Decepticons knew that if they could recreate this substance and then control it, they could restore their homeworld.

Taking over the project, Shockwave put most of his time into the matter, finally came up with a possible formula, and was ready to test its abilities. It was a momentous event for all involved, and since Scrap had helped in the development, it seemed fair she was there to watch the result. The only problem was that Knockout didn't like the idea of Scrap being near a potentially harmful substance. He ordered for her to be as far away from the experiment as she could while still being able to observe the results.

As such, Scrap was sat on a large boulder in the middle of the empty, rocky, mountain canyon, looking out at the experiment, but all she could see through the haze of heat were large, dark blobs.

"THIS SUCKS!" she yelled before lying flat on her back and sulking on the rock, listening as her voice echoed back to her.

The "blob" Scrap could see consisted of Lord Megatron, Commander Starscream, and Knockout as they gathered around a large cylindrical device. Shockwave kneeled at its side, tapping at controls and monitoring devices.

He finally stood up and looked at his lord. "My liege, the device is ready."

Megatron lifted his head with pride and said, "Then, begin."

Shockwave nodded and turned to the device's controls, gradually powering it up and illuminating the dark yellow liquid inside it. It hummed softly, and the cybermatter began to bubble, building up a charge. Shockwave said nothing, gradually increasing the power. The bubbling grew more violent before he flinched and looked at Megatron.

"My lord, the device is beginning to show signs of stress. I fear if we continue at this current power, it will…"

Shockwave was cut off by the device jumping up into the air and imploding in a bright, white light. A wave of energy rippled over the canyon. The mechs instinctively put up their arms to protect themselves, but the blast went harmlessly through them.

Lord Megatron recovered first and glared at his scientist.

"Shockwave, in future, stop any explosions BEFORE explaining yourself!"

"My apologies, my lord. It will not happen again."

Knockout, having checked his finish, stepped over to the crumpled metal and kicked it.

"Well, so much for that."

The rest of the group tried not to show their disappointment in the failure, hiding their hopes of returning home. Picking up the canister, Shockwave turned to the medic.

"Knockout, you may retrieve the human now."

With a nod, Knockout transformed into his sleek sports car mode and zoomed off across the canyon to where he had left the nurse.

"Come on, Scrap; it's time to head home," he said upon getting close, changing back to reach over the empty rock. Its height easily reached to his knees, so there was no way Scrap could have climbed down without help.

And yet, the boulder was empty.

"Scrap?" Knockout called, looking around to see if she was hiding. "Scrap, where are you? Come on, this is no time to play games. This heat is going to wreck my paint."

There was no reply, and fear came over the vain medic as he checked his locator, picking up the signal from her headset. It showed that she was all the way across the canyon, by the rock wall.

"Oh, come ON!" he groaned, running to get to her quickly. "Seriously, Scrap, this is not funny."

He stopped at the wall and looked over it, keeping an optic open for the small creature.

"How did you even get over here? SCRAP?! Scrap, come on, where are you?"

There was no reply, and yet her signal definitely emanated from this area.

"Scrap! Come on, we will leave without you!" Knockout joked just to hide his fear. She should have been able to hear him; her signal was right in front of him.

Movement caught his attention, and he turned to see some loose stones tumble from a crack in the cliff face to bounce musically off something metal lying half-buried on the floor. Freezing, Knockout drew his energon prod, listening as it crackled with power, and carefully approached the body, rounding a large rock that had hidden it from him at first.

It was a glistening silver colour, as large and gangly as any Cybertronian, but there was something strange about it. Having checked the area for Autobots, Knockout stepped closer and turned over a rock that was propped against its back to reveal that it was a femme - and she was alive. Even though the air up there was fairly cold, her vents strained loudly in an attempt to keep her cool.

Knockout poked at her, and then the femme moaned and retracted back, shifting the rocks that had fallen atop her. Lifting her helm from the ground, she looked at the irritation, her optics flickering in and out as she scanned the area. Finally, she noticed the medic, and confusion crossed her simple features.

She managed a querious, "Knockout?" before she glitched out, her helm falling back.

Knockout stared at the femme before shaking his head and hurrying to her side, pushing the rocks off her until she was free.

"Scrap."

He didn't say it as a curse, but as a statement.

This femme was Scrap. She had identical dark green optics with the flickers of blue and black in them, as well as the dark blue band around the back of her helm in the same shape and pattern as her headset.

He didn't know how, but she had been… transformed into one of _them_.

Quickly, he pressed his fingers to his comm-link. "Soundwave, I need an immediate emergency groundbridge to sick bay."

"Knockout, what is going on?" Lord Megatron bellowed over the same line.

The bridge was already open beside him as Knockout lifted up the femme carefully. "Sorry my lord, I… I can't explain it right now."

And with that, he ran inside.

As requested, the bridge took him straight to his workplace where a few drones mulled around, clearly expecting help. After a sharp bark from Knockout, they soon left.

Placing the femme down on the table, he began to check her over, trying to understand what had happened. He wanted to hurry and help her, but at the same time, he didn't want to miss anything. It was a very confusing and conflicting sensation.

Knockout checked, double-checked, and triple-checked everything and was a little shocked to find Scrap's systems working perfectly. The transformation was perfect. Every last biological cell and organ had been flawlessly changed into machinery and circuits.

A curious thought filled his mind.

_Every_ aspect?

Knockout checked to make sure he was still alone - even coded the door to bar entry - before stepping closer, looking at the femme's peaceful sleeping features. Even resting, she looked like the human. Slowly, he reached out and found the small medical latch on her chest, imposing slightly on it and forcing it open.

His features were soon basking in the warm white light of a spark.

Knockout stared at the lifeline for a while, amazed by its appearance and perfection, before noticing that his actions must have caused her to gradually come back online.

Snapping the cover shut over her spark, Knockout tried to prepare himself. He even dared to engage the table's restraints to stop her from moving too much.

This was not going to be easy.

For a minute longer, Scrap just shifted and tried to wake up, but then her optics snapped open and began darting around the place in a blind panic. She tried to move, but the restraints held her down - distressed her further - and soon her venting systems wheezed in and out in what Knockout recognised as a human breathing pattern.

_She doesn't know,_ he realised before stepping closer so she could see him. "Easy Scrap."

Her gaze moved to him instantly. "Knockout?"

She tried to move again, clearly scared by her lack of freedom. Her features changed to be painful and shallow.

"I… I can't move."

"Try and keep still," he said, reaching out for her. However, he didn't touch her; he just stood staring into her eyes, hoping to keep her attention on him. "This… is going to be hard to explain but… there was an accident."

Panic filled her gaze. "What?" she yelled, trying to move once more, but she couldn't fight the restraints.

Knockout held out his hand towards her. "You're alright! It's just…" he looked away from her. "It's just…"

"Knockout, what is going on here?"

Both of them turned their attention to the doors as they were overridden and forced open by Lord Megatron. He, Starscream, Shockwave, and Soundwave entered the room.

Scrap blinked at them. "Lord Megatron."

The warlord stared at the femme restrained to the medical table. "Who are you?"

Again she just stared at him and blinked. "Umm… it's me, my lord, Scrap."

"Impossible," Starscream snapped from the side. "You're not that pathetic, little human."

Scrap's eyes widened, and she looked to the side to see one of the many mirrors that Knockout had hanging around the place. A smooth silver face and delicate grey metal frame stared back at her.

"What?" she exclaimed, and the reflection moved with her. "What's happened to me?"

Scrap gave a loud sudden scream and began struggling more than before.

"LET ME GO! Let me go right _now_!"

Knockout shot the others a dirty look before undoing the restraints, allowing Scrap to stand up. She ran over to the mirror, running her hands over herself to try and make sense of her new appearance.

Looking at her via the reflection, Knockout tried to smile. "Scrap, please, just calm down."

"Scrap?" Starscream picked up on. "You mean that… _is_… the human?!"

"The failed experiment," Shockwave guessed as he walked over.

"It would appear that it wasn't such a failure after all," Megatron mused as Knockout sat the femme back down. "Scrap, what happened?"

Dropping her head and covering herself with her hands, Scrap shook herself. "I… I don't know."

"What do you remember?"

She thought for a moment then sighed. "One… one second I was stood on the rock and then, all of a sudden… I was… thrown into the air and… then I woke up here."

Shockwave hummed a little. "It would be a logical assumption that the explosion has cyberformed the human."

"Frag logic, Shockwave!" Knockout snapped. "We need to fix this! Now!"

"I wonder, if this even _is_ reversible," he said, stepping closer to the human as she stared at them. "I will need to analyse the creation to be sure of it."

"My name is Scrap, Shockwave," she said with a strange smile. "I'm still the same person."

The group shared a look at her, as if wishing to argue against her statement, but decided against it.

"Anyway…." Knockout said getting everyone to look back at him. "You are not doing any analysing or propping, Shockwave, not until I'm sure she is alright. She needs a full medical exam before anything else."

"I feel fine," Scrap said, trying to wave him off.

"And how would you know how to feel? For all you know, you could be about to break down but not know it."

Scrap gave him a strange look, halfway between shock and amusement. She knew he could be right, but she also knew he could be overreacting.

Meanwhile, Shockwave nodded after a moment.

"I am sure the cybermatter has transposed all of her biological elements correctly. After all, she appears to be at fully health."

Starscream huffed. "Pardon she has no alt-mode."

Looking back in the mirror, Scrap checked and noticed she did not have any armour or sign of an alt-mode. She was just a blank, silver femme. A protoform, she'd even guess.

Knockout sighed as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Scrap. We can sort that out some other day. We don't know if this is permanent. For now… we should make sure you are alright. So please… let me make sure you are alright before we even _consider_ anything like that."

~#~

Having been prodded and tested on for what felt like a whole day, Scrap was released from Knockout's attention while he looked over his notes and samples. The medic seemed to have gathered all the information he wanted.

Stretching out, she stood off the table and rubbed her eye. "I…I'm going to get some…"

Scrap stopped suddenly, looking down at her feet. She had crossed the sick-bay in just a few steps and stood next to her little, silver scrap house. It looked so simple and…small. She would never fit a hand in there now, let alone sleep there.

Soft footsteps approached her from behind and a hand touched her shoulder, drawing her attention. It was Knockout.

"It's alright kid, we'll sort this out."

Scrap sighed and drooped a little. "I know."

"Until we can get you your own quarters, why don't you go to my room? I'm going to stay up and do some more research." He rubbed her shoulder a little. "Please, Scrap, I insist."

Feeling more than a little defeated, the human did as asked, moving away from him and crossed the room. She left the sick bay and entered the room across the hallway, Knockout and Breakdown's quarters.

Scrap stopped on looking at the door. She'd never been inside before; she'd never had a reason to. Knockout and Breakdown had shared the room, a bare location with just two large plates of metal jutting out of the walls that acted as beds. One of them was clear while the other was covered in old energon cubes, data pads, and pictures of cars.

Scrap smiled but then felt her eyes grow heavy. Her mind became sluggish. After all she had been though, it wasn't much of a surprise she was tired. Stepping over to the empty berth, she sat down on the side before curling up in a foetal position with her hands under her head as a makeshift pillow. Scrap finally closed her eyes and tried to relax.

That was when she heard the noises. Whirring, grinding, clicking…

Scrap opened her eyes again and looked behind her to where the sounds had been coming from. There was nothing in the room that explained it, but when she closed her eyes again, it returned.

Groaning, she reached up to her head to take her headset off, but her fingers only slid over the smooth metal.

_Of course… _she thought. _I don't have one anymore._

Sighing, Scrap curled up even more, hoping to eventually ignore the sounds and get some sleep, but just as she got used to the noise, she noticed that she felt so strange; cold, hard and unmoving. Her body felt unknown, alien even. Knees almost all the way into her chest, she screwed her eyes up even more and tried to block it all out, to make it go away, to wake up and be…herself.

If hours or just minutes had passed when Scrap opened her eyes again, she froze. It was dark and her breath felt strange.

"Hey, awake at last?"

Scrap lifted her head to see who had spoken and instantly spotted Knockout in the doorway, smiling softly.

"Knockout." Scrap forced herself up. "I had the strangest…" She stopped speaking; looking at her hands and her face fell flat. "It… it wasn't a dream… was it?"

"No, sweetspark," Knockout sighed, stepping over to sit by her. "But it's going to be alright. I promise I will help you get thought this."

Even though Scrap was now made out of metal, Knockout was still taller than her. But at least now, the difference was marginable. Still staring at her hands, Scrap thought for a moment then chuckled once.

"Perhaps… perhaps this is a good thing," she said, closing her hands into fists before turning to look at his dark red optics. "I mean, at least like this I can be more help to you. I can really earn my place, right?"

He stared at her, a bit shocked, before smiling and nodding. "I guess so. Come on, I want to run some more tests on you."

Grudgingly, Scrap stood up, but she heard that loud, mechanical whining again and shot an irritated look over her shoulder.

"Man, what is with all the noises?"

Knockout sighed as he walked her back to the medical bay. "It's because you don't have any armour." He stroked his own bright red chest in demonstration. "It keeps a lot of the sound in."

"So, when can I get some?"

"I don't know. I don't want to do anything to you unless we know this is absolutely permanent." Knockout sighed a little. "Until then, you are not to go anywhere without me."

Scrap tipped her head at his caring nature. "How long will it take for you to know?"

"I have no idea."

With a laugh, Scrap wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. Then, she moved back and blinked. "Wow, I've never been able to do this before."

Knockout chuckled and reached over to pat her softly on the head. "Yeah, it is kinda nice. Now come on, tests."

Dragged in, Scrap groaned and sat down on the medical table, allowing him to begin prodding and testing her once again. Her joints, energon, systems, spark, and memories were all put through a long extensive line of tests. She did her part, answering his questions honestly until a silence came.

"So, what's the diagnosis?" Scrap hummed, swinging her legs over the edge of the table she was sat on.

Knockout checked his notes for a moment. "Well, there are no changes. You seem… stable."

"So I can get some armour?" she asked hopefully. "These noises are really beginning to get on my nerves."

Turning to her, Knockout had a strange look on his face. "I have a theory on that. Even without armour, it shouldn't be so loud that you can constantly hear it."

Scrap shrugged in confusion. "So?"

Pulling up a chair, Knockout pointed at her head. "I think this is all because of your headset. You see, I've run tests on everyone else who was at that explosion and all of them are now running at full capacity. Even Lord Megatron, who had his arm removed and then replaced, has no signs of that event." He waved his hand in a flurrying movement. "I believe that the cybermatter "reset" us, healing all our wounds and scars. But when it met you… it confused your headset with your biology. It probably picked up on the Cybertronian technology and thought it was part of your anatomy, and that your human systems were wounds that needed healing."

Scrap blinked. "So…it reset me?"

"It _reformatted_ you. Long story short, your body… is now your headset, hence your hearing being so sensitive. You literally are one with your hearing aid."

For a long time, Scrap just kept still, thinking.

"Is…" she swallowed. "Is it reversible?"

Knockout was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't think so."

"I see."

"I'm sorry."

Scrap laughed once. "For what? It's not your fault."

"Yeah, but…"

"Knockout."

The pair looked up at the doors as Lord Megatron and Shockwave came in, looking at Scrap but then to the doctor.

"Knockout," Megatron continued, "I have come for a report on what happened yesterday."

"I still don't have all the details, only my test results and some theories," Knockout stated, picking up a data pad with his information on it. "I'm sorry that I can't be more, well, detailed, but this has never happened before."

Megatron looked the data pad over, but his gaze did keep straying to the creature in question as she appeared to be staring at him confusedly.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked with a slightly angry tone.

Scrap quickly dropped her gaze. "I didn't know how big you were," was all she said, staring at her feet.

With a snort, Megatron passed the data to Shockwave, who read it far slower than the warlord did.

"So, what are we to do with her now?" Megatron asked finally.

"I would recommend putting her into my care, since I am more aware of the influence of cybermatter," said Shockwave.

"Like slag she is going anywhere with you!" Knockout bellowed, stepping physically between the femme and scientist. "She's my charge and _I_ will look after her!" His eyes narrowed on the pair. "And that is final!"

~#~

For a week, Scrap was kept in the medical bay and suffered from constant tests to check her condition. In the end, Knockout both confessed and conceded that there was no sign of change and, pressured both by Scrap herself and Lord Megatron, the medic sat the human down and began talking about finally giving her an alt-mode.

"It's not going to be easy," Knockout explained, lacing his fingers together. "The task of installing armour alone will take hours, but the big problem is that you are basically a protoform… Yet, you have no imprint of what you should be. I have never seen anything like that before."

Having researched the matter, Scrap was surprised. "You mean, I could be a grounder or a seeker?" She smiled. "I could choose?"

Scratching his neck, Knockout nodded. "In theory. But because of that, I can't guarantee you would even accept it."

"Knockout, I have a T-cog. I know I have the ability."

"Scrap."

With an embarrassed shrug, she gave a soft smile. "I just wanted to see."

Knockout frowned for a bit longer, but then sighed and held out a data pad to her.

"I guess… I should show you this. I've been working on it for a while. I think it will suit you."

Picking up the data pad, Scrap looked over the information. Her optics widened and she smiled, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I LOVE IT!" she squealed, stepping back and looking over it, taking in the details. "So…it's a seeker design?"

"I've seen you drive." Knockout smiled ruefully. "Trust me; we will all be safer with you in the air."

Chuckling, Scrap let him go and looked back to the designs. "It's beautiful."

"If you approve, then…we can do it tomorrow." Knockout pointed to the data pad. "The only thing is the colours."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't pick the right colours for you. I've been messing with different combinations, but I can't find the right look." Knockout reached over and swiped the design to the side, showing Scrap the same image but with different colour schemes.

Scrap smiled, looking at the detail. "You really have been thinking about this."

Knockout grinned and looked back at the designs. "I will perform the surgery tomorrow."

~#~

"What is TAKING SO LONG?!" Lord Megatron bellowed as he marched up and down the hallway.

Starscream grumbled, but he was just as irritated. "I still don't understand why Knockout insisted we were to be here."

Shockwave looked up from a datapad. "The human _is_ an officer. It is logical and respectful that we are present for when her operation is completed."

Starscream huffed, but then the medical bay doors opened a little and Knockout, grinning, appeared.

"Well?" Megatron asked when he didn't say anything.

"It's finished, my lord," Knockout said with a bow before fully opening the door.

Behind them was Scrap, her optics still bright green and her face silver, but her helm was no longer blank. It was now decorated with a red, triple-diamond shaped chevron. Small ear wings came from the side of her head, two petite wings poked up at from her back, her chest, which had been flat, was now protected by thick armour, and her arms were covered with long, decorative panels. Like Starscream, she had high heels on her feet and points on her knees, but unlike the commander, she pulled the look off. Scrap was just a little shorter than Knockout, her wings coming up the spine of her back unlike those of other Seekers. Her colours were a dark, Decepticon purple, similar to that of the Vehicon troopers, but with black areas. Red marks patterned her wings and arms in the same zigzag pattern, like the pulse pattern of a spark beat – the symbol of a medic.

The Decepticons stared at her for a moment.

Scrap tipped her head curiously to the side.

"So?" she asked, turning on the spot to show herself off. "What do you think?"

Starscream's jaw hung open and his eyes were wide in shock as he looked at her.

"You… you look…"

"Appropriate," Megatron finished for him. "So, lieutenant, what now?"

Scrap smiled at him and then jumped up into the air, her joints clicking and whining as she transformed. Suddenly, a smaller than average black and purple jet with red markings appeared in her place, hovering above the floor and causing a slight up heave in the sick bay. Then, just as fast, she changed back and saluted.

"Lieutenant Scrap, ready for duty my lord."

Apparently impressed by the display, Megatron smiled and nodded. "Very well then. You will report to Starscream's armada first thing tomorrow."

For once, Starscream smiled and nodded, and Scrap couldn't help but smile back. Her hatred for the mech was still strong, but for now she was too excited to really be angry.

Megatron lifted his own head. "Very well, if there is nothing else…" He turned and walked away to the medical bay doors. "I look forward to seeing what you can really do, Scrap."

"So do I," she whispered as he and the others left. The medics were left alone, and Scrap looked over her new form and stretched out her back and wings.

"This is an amazing." She looked at the red marks on her arms and smiled. "You know, I can see why you preen so much now. I do like these colours."

Knockout smiled as he reached out to her and lifted her chin up to him. "They suit you. Now come on, we have work to do."

Pulled to his side, Scrap smiled and followed with him into the main area of the sick bay, finally able to reach the tools and be a genuine nurse to the cons. It was such a great feeling to be useful.

Her mind was still one with her headset, so information came so easily, but now she could really use it. And she no longer had to worry about Knockout stepping on her.

Finally, for the first time in several weeks, Scrap felt normal.

~#~

"Alright, now, keep steady," Starscream commented over the comm. link. "Take it slow and transform just above the deck."

"I don't know, Starscream," Scrap whimpered, battling the winds as they clashed around her. "I… I don't know if I can…"

"Scrap, you can't keep groundbridging in. You have to learn to land on a moving target. You learned how to take off, so you can learn how to land!" He snapped at her, flying alongside her. "Now, just do it."

Scrap sighed before turning the other way, flying slowly closer to the ship, tipping left and right in the wind.

"Sort out your balance," Starscream ordered behind her. "Level out and line up with the edge of the deck."

She followed his directions, Scrap levelled out, coming closer to the flight deck of the ship, flying as steadily as she could, but she still kept overcompensating and dipped from side to side.

Just as she got closer, she pulled up and span back up to the sky, vapour trails marking her movements. "I can't!"

Starscream's irritation was clear as he hovered before her.

"Scrap! This has got to stop. I won't have a member of my armada who can't even LAND! It's been three weeks! Turn around and this time, LAND!"

With a deep sigh, Scrap did as asked and tried again, flying straight up until she was in line with the deck. She was shaking again, battling the wind and trying not to lose too much altitude.

"You can do this. Just transform and land!"

Scrap tried to keep calm, but the idea of landing on a moving target where she could easily crash and burn…

Screaming, she transformed, and after a few seconds of freefall, her feet hit the ground, stumbling forwards with a loud bang and fell onto her face. When she was finally still, she opened her optics and let out a deep breath.

"I… I did it!"

"About time." Starscream landed far more gracefully behind her.

Standing up, Scrap checked herself over for injuries and sighed. "But… can I do it again?"

"We will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. You have to get to Shockwave's lab for your check-up."

Realising that it really was time, Scrap groaned before turning and leaving the flight deck and heading for the lab. Shockwave was busy when she entered, but as the door closed, he turned fully to face her.

"You are late," he stated.

"I was busy with landing," she said truthfully while picking up a data pad and taking a seat. "Any luck with the formula?"

"Negative. I have yet to recreate the occurrences of your creation."

"Creation now is it?" Scrap teased. "Yesterday it was 'accident'."

He stared at her with that one eye before turning away. "I am in need of an energon sample."

Scrap rolled her head. "And back to business."

~#~

Knockout and Scrap stood in the large open space of the training room, the former with his energon staff and the latter with her hands transformed into two blades. They'd already been going at it for a few bouts, warming up, gradually getting more serious with each attack.

Knockout grinned as he locked Scrap in a hold. "Hey, not bad."

The femme smiled then twisted out and reversed the lock on him.

"Not bad at all." She chuckled, clashing blades with the medic. "Airachnid taught me well."

"I can tell. I'm almost sorry we never got to fight before this."

Scrap hummed softly and turned away from him, changing her hand back and grabbing him as he went for her, twisting and turning. She adapted to his attacks as best she could, taking the hits she couldn't and dealing her own before suddenly sweeping her foot under his and knocking him to the floor, kneeling to be on top and brushing her blade against his shoulder.

"Hey! Watch the finish, watch the finish!" Knockout snapped, trying to get away from her.

Scrap chuckled softly to him and removed the weapon. "I know, I know. But don't worry, it's not like I couldn't fix you up."

Knockout chuckled as he looked up at the seeker but then his smile fell slightly and he looked away.

Scrap tipped her helm to the side and smiled. "Hey, what's with the face?"

"I just…" He looked back at her, eyes narrow and serious. "I just find it hard to believe sometimes that…you're the same…weak human I saved all that time ago."

Stiffening, Scrap looked away.

"I am the same," she whispered, and then stared at him. "Aren't I?"

Knockout's hand slowly reached up, cupping her cheek and rubbing under her emerald optics. "I wish I could say you were. But you're not."

A smile gradually came to Scrap's lips and she leant into his hand. "I know."

Slowly making her way to her feet, Scrap let out a deep breath, a habit she still hadn't got out of and rubbed her forearms, looking downcast towards the ground.

Frowning, Knockout stood as well and held her shoulder. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'll… I'll be ok."

"Want to talk?"

"It's just… I was alone for so long. When I lived on the street, I had no one. Even when I was back home, I was isolated in my family." She turned and looked at him softly. "You know, you're the closest thing to a father I've ever really had."

Knockout's optics widened in shock, but then he softened and smiled.

"Well, if I was your father, I know I'd be really proud of you."

Scrap smiled and leaned over to hug him gently.

"Let's get back to sick bay," she said after a moment.

~#~

Entering the prison holding cell, Scrap kept her wings low and behind her, out of the way. She was a little on-edge about treating Ratchet; he was the first Autobot she'd been near to since her transformation.

But on seeing him, unconscious, bound, and helpless with two drones keeping guard, she felt a little of her unease fade. Knockout should be doing this, but he didn't want to risk getting caught in any trouble from the Autobot, and so Scrap had gone instead. She was more than capable after all and the medic would be less likely to attack a femme.

Kneeling at his side, Scrap reached out for his neck and injected him with a serum to bring him online. After that, she began repairing his other wounds and injuries. Megatron had ordered Ratchet to be fixed up the best he could be; it was part of his plan to make the medic willingly help them develop the synthetic energon and, with it, the cybermatter.

Just as Scrap began fixing his knee, Ratchet moaned and the drones snapped up their weapons. Aware that he was waking up, the nurse flinched as well.

Then, she could feel Ratchet's gaze on her.

"Who are you?" he asked coarsely, still shocked by his ordeal.

Scrap said nothing; she just kept her head down and continued with her work.

"You're new."

"Yeah," Scrap replied, politely, but keeping her voice soft. "I am."

Ratchet paused, and Scrap was able to get on with her work for a moment.

"You sound young. How old are you?" he asked.

Scrap didn't reply.

The Autobot glanced at the bots behind them, and then leant forwards. "Are you a prisoner?"

The femme shot her eyes into him, frowning. "No. I'm not. Now shut up and let me work."

Ratchet paused for a moment. Then, he looked behind her at the guards and past them to the door. The nurse continued in her work for a moment longer, injecting some painkiller into the joint to help his movability, before setting the armour back into place.

Just as she finishing up with his wound, the white and orange robot grunted and made a painful face before his whole body shuddered.

Scrap looked up quickly at him. "Ratchet?"

She watched as he began to shake and shudder, convulsing and clearly in pain. Scrap stared at him for a moment before getting herself together, grabbing him, and helping him lie on his side. She changed her hand into a blade and cut his restraints to ease the pressure on his sides.

"Get Knockout!" she screamed at the drones. One quickly ran off to follow her order.

"What's happening?" the other one asked.

"He's having a reaction to the medication," Scrap explained, fear in her voice. "I… I must have done something wrong."

Just then, Ratchet stopped shaking and snapped his optics open, reaching out to Scrap and pushing her away before jumping up and charging at the drone, decapitating him quickly. Then, he turned his attention to the nurse as she sat on the floor, confused and scared. Blinking, the Autobot pointed at her and said:

"Stay down."

He then ran out of the cell, leaving Scrap with a dead body and filled with fear.

It felt like hours, but in just a few seconds, the first drone and Knockout came charging inside, scanning the room before frowning.

"What happened?" Knockout's voice was commanding and urgent.

"He… he escaped," Scrap mumbled before jumping up to her feet. "I'm so sorry! He… he looked like he was having a reaction. I never should have untied him! I…"

"You untied him?" the medic gasped. "Scrap, how stupid can you be?!" He snapped then turned for the door. "Let's hope we catch him in time but they weren't and he escaped the _Nemesis_, getting back to the Autobots.

~#~

Scrap didn't even put up a fight when Megatron punched her. He had enough control to just punch her in the stomach, but it still hurt like slag. Knockout put her on report writing while she recovered, but every now and then she would lean forwards in agony.

It wasn't easy; everyone was cold towards her, and not just the officers. She was suddenly lower than even the cleaning drones.

After a few days of keeping her head down, Scrap hoped that the accident had been forgotten and took the weekly medical report up to the bridge to Megatron. She tried to pull up her confidence as she entered the room and stood with her back straight, her wings proudly to the side.

"Lord Megatron."

He looked dismissively over his shoulder at her. "Yes?"

"The weekly medical reports," she said, holding out the data pad for his inspection.

Strangely, the Megatron did not move to take it but instead looked back ahead. "Did you complete them?"

"Like always, my lord."

"Then leave it on the side."

Scrap blinked then swallowed. "Why?"

"Starscream will be inspecting your work before anything is done from it."

"What? But…you've never asked for my work to be…checked before."

"Well, you had not failed me before. Now, leave the report and get out of my sight."

Locking her lips together in hopes of not saying anything she would regret, Scrap turned and left quickly, hurrying back to medical where she slumped to the floor with her back against the door.

She made a fist and hit the floor. "I can't believe it."

"What happened?" Knockout sounded only somewhat concerned.

Scrap huffed and pulled her knees up to her chest. "He had my work checked."

"What?"

"He wants my work checked." She laughed, looking up at Knockout. "I just… I don't believe it. What, does he think I'm going to… mess up again?"

Scrap choked back another laugh and stood up, beginning to pace back and forth. "I can't believe it! He…he doesn't trust me! After everything I've done! Sure, I messed up once, but that doesn't change the countless times that I did things right! Not just as a Cybertronian, but as a human as well! I did everything in my power when I was a tiny fragile little human! And now that I'm… _**this,**_ I make one mistake and I'm a laughing stock!"

She growled as she walked back and forth in a short line, her wings twitching in her anger.

Knockout watched her for a moment and then held out his hand to the side. "Well, you can't blame him for being skeptical. Even as a human, you never messed up this badly."

Scrap fixed a dark, cold glare upon him and hissed with deep sarcasm, "Gee, thanks Knockout."

He chuckled, turning away. "Look, don't take it personally. It's just how things work around here." He picked up a small device and gestured to her. "Why don't you come over here and sit down for a bit?"

Scrap eyed the device in his hand. "What… what are you doing?"

"Just going to run a few tests," Knockout mumbled, fiddling with the device. "Nothing serious."

Scrap took a step backwards. "You said yourself that I'm fine."

He held up a hand defensively. "It's just a check-up."

"I had one yesterday," Scrap replied sharply, feeling things were turning against her. "Knockout, what is going on?"

Knockout took a deep breath and then looked away. "It's… Scrap… I need to keep an optic on you. Just in case something is…"

He stopped and went back to his notes.

"Something is wrong?" Scrap guessed. "Now you're checking up on me as well!" she stepped over, standing up in his face. "I'm perfectly fine! You know I am!"

"I'm not saying you're not," Knockout replied, staring down on her. "It's just… I wanted you to be… careful."

"Careful! Careful! CAREFUL!" Scrap screamed. "What is that meant to mean?!" She stared into his optics for a moment then laughed in a strange, delusional way. "Oh I get it: you think I'm becoming unstable. That this whole transformation nonsense is finally beginning to catch up with me. I'm telling you, I'm fine. Nothing is wrong with me!"

"Are you even listening to yourself?" The medic snapped back, grabbing her shoulder to keep her still. "I mean, just listen to what you're saying. You are acting all…"

"What?" she sniffed, shrugging out of his grip. "What? Unreasonable? Stupid?"

"Paranoid!" Knockout growled back. "You are acting paranoid, Scrap. You think everyone is out to get you when we're not. We just want to be sure you are alright. You screwed up, yes. Will it take time for you to get back into our trust? Yes. Am I worried about you? Yes. You are in my care, my responsibility, and believe it or not, I take that seriously. So please kid, just sit down and let me… look over you. Please?"

"No!" Scrap yelled as she pulled away. "Just leave me alone! I don't need you! I don't need your help, I don't need your tests because I'm fine!"

She turned suddenly and ran towards the main hallway, but there was a sudden flash, and she was thrown across the room into the wall, collapsing at the base.

Knockout quickly ran over and looked at her then up at the doorway. "Why the frag did you shoot her, Shockwave!?"

Shickwave nodded as he walked forward. "She was refusing treatment. It is clear that she needed attention."

Grumbling, Knockout lifted Scrap up off the floor carefully and placed her onto the large medical table.

"You didn't need to _shoot_ her," he repeated before going on to scan her systems.

~#~

"And then, he just fell! I mean, honestly."

"Well, if he was stupid enough to be up there on his own…"

"Yeah, but still. Oh, look. It's _her_."

Scrap tried not to tip her head at the vehicons when her hearing picked up their conversation. Feeling their eyes on her, their points and accusations almost physical, her head dropped a little more.

It had been a month and yet no one had forgiven her. She'd paid the price, just like anyone else in the army would pay, but still they blamed her.

"Oi, traitor!"

Scrap cringed a little, but kept walking down the hallways, trying to block out their calls.

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

"Leave me alone," Scrap bit out.

But the vehicons were soon in front of her, stopping her from going any further.

"Hey, do you have any idea the damage you've done? We could have won this war if not for you."

Scrap frowned at them. "You think I don't know that? Look, I'm sorry for what happened, but I just want to go back to the way things were."

"You hear that?" One of them joked to his friends. "She thinks just because she did a bit of hard work for once, all is forgiven?"

She stared harder, anger growing. "Look, I might be disgraced, but I'm still an officer, and you will treat me with respect!"

"Yeah right, "officer"? A made up title for a made up femme. Worthless piece of scrap. You are nothing!" The vehicon stepped closer, getting up in her face. "You're a joke, human. And a bad one at that."

Blinking, Scrap made the huge mistake of taking a step back.

The troopers fed on it and coned in around her, blocking her path to just one way.

Scrap took it. She turned and ran away, heading up for the main flight deck with the hopes of flying off on her own to calm down.

If the troops could see it, if they knew see that "Scrap" was just a joke, what hope did she have? She was never going to redeem herself after all this. She was going to be trapped as a Cybertronian for the rest of time and forever be a joke. Anger filled her as she kept running, blinded to where she was going until her foot slipped over an edge. She quickly clambered backwards, hoping to avoid the sheer drop before her.

Spark pounding in her chest, Scrap stepped back to safety but couldn't stop herself from looking out at the clouds. Her wings trembled with the feeling of air rushing around her, pushing against her back, driving her forwards.

Her optics offlined; Scrap loved the feeling of cold and the pressure on her body. It made her believe for a moment that she was real again.

After a moment, she opened her eyes again and blinked, looking out on the clouds. The ship was high in the atmosphere, high enough that a fall would be fatal.

Taking a step closer, she looked down, ensuring she wasn't over water or anything that would soften the blow. A range of mountains was just visible. A sad smile came to Scrap's lips as she stepped even closer, the front of her feet already hanging over the edge. The wind was pushing against her back, so all she had to do was stop fighting it and she would fall. She could just fall all the way and end it.

Scrap closed her eyes and held her arms, hugging herself. No more jokes, no more ignoring, no more…Cybertronians.

Death honestly felt like the most logical and simple way out. She looked down again…

For one split second, she was in freefall but in the sound of a heartbeat, someone grabbed her wrist.

~#~

**Now, here is where it gets both interesting and complicated. **

_**Someone**_** saved Scrap's life.**

**And you get to decide ****who****. **

**Right now, Scrap is at a crossroad, where she is faced with seven different mechs, all of whom could save her and prove she has something to live for and lead to something more.**

**These are her 'Lines of Fate'.**

**Each line is unique, there may be a few overlapping events but mostly it will be a one of a kind story. **

**But now you get to pick which ever character you want her to be with. And because of 'The Sound of Scrap's Heart' I have decided not to do Soundwave, to avoid favouritism.**

**So, please, have a look at the possible lines and tell me which one you would like to see first. **

**Scrap X Lord Megatron**

_It wasn't Scrap's fault. There was a genuine reason for her behaviour, one that perhaps only Lord Megatron could understand. Faced with strange circumstances, the former human proves herself worthy of not only the Gladiators attention, but also his affection._

**Scrap X Commander Starscream**

_Seekers stay together, they look after each other. So when Starscream becomes a little too attached to his new teammate, his spark is torn between her and his own plans. _

**Scrap X Knockout**

_From the very beginning, Knockout had cared for and looked after the deaf little human in his own strange way, protecting her from the world and dangers out there. But now that she can look after herself, will he still be part of her life?_

**Scrap X Fire Heart**

_The one and only being to ever treat him as an equal, to call him friend was now as much an outcast as he was. A kindred spark that leads a long felt connection between the two that may be destined to become something far greater._

**Scrap X Shockwave**

_For a 'logical' mech, emotions are not high on Shockwave's list but this strange thing he created appears to have made him act a little… illogical. __**(I'm not sure if this one is going to happen… Shockwave is a very hard character to write.)**_

**Scrap X C-1r**

_Just another face in the crowd, C-1r is invisible to everyone but he still manages to find time to become attached to the newest member of the crew and even breaks away from normality to be at her side. _

**Scrap X ?**

_Fate has a strange way of working and was not yet ready to give up on the new Cybertronian. With the wind in the right direction, she may yet find her place with an old unexpected acquaintance._


End file.
